Early Harvest Essay Example

I watched enemy soldiers pass under the sheds that stretched across our western backyard, I wondered where my brave, older brother was.

Formerly, on market days, these sheds were filled with products from town including many colored print cotton, threads, dried fish, rice cakes, toys, and black magic. Vendors would shout their wares and demonstrate the use of medicines and oils, creating a lively atmosphere where everyone smiled and nobody was afraid. Now, the Japanese soldiers stand under the empty sheds, smoking and talking loudly.

Smoke emerged from the crater of Mount Mayon as some people watched from a distance, while others cleaned mud off their boots with bayonets. Standing by the door, my father's white hair glowed in the sunlight. Inside our house's altar room, my mother knelt before an image of Santa Rosa. They got married last November during San Juan's feast day. Next to my father at the doorway, I observed how his hair was illuminated by the sunlight and saw his lips move silently. My thoughts couldn't help but focus on my brother Cario, who had extensive knowledge of Lafonte's forests. We didn't know where he was, and both Father and Mother were deeply saddened by this.

My father encountered a Japanese soldier carrying a long sword. The soldier conversed with my father in the local dialect, which surprised me. It was astonishing how much he resembled the Japanese acquaintances we knew from when Father would bring us to see movies in the provincial capital. Despite this similarity, Father remained stern and silent as the soldier praised the peacefulness of San Juan and the pleasantness of the afternoon,

highlighting Japan's triumph. The soldier claimed they were friends, but Father did not respond warmly or with kind words.